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00:00Howdy, this is Lemmy with RevZilla, here to talk to you today about how to buy a used
00:06motorcycle.
00:12Look there's a million different ways to foul up when you're buying a used motorcycle.
00:16Hopefully at the end of this video though, you feel confident that you're not buying
00:18a total bucket of bolts that's going to leave you stranded on the side of the road.
00:22Now we've structured this video specifically for those of you purchasing a motorcycle private
00:27So regardless of whether you found your used bike on Craigslist or on eBay or maybe even
00:30in the classified section of your local paper, this video is for you.
00:34Now that's not the only way of course to obtain a used motorcycle.
00:37You can always wander down to your local motorcycle shop and buy a pre-loved bike from those folks.
00:41That process is a little bit different though.
00:43Those bikes are almost certain to be road worthy and you're probably going to be paying
00:46a little bit more for that privilege.
00:49Now that whole process really looks a lot like buying a new motorcycle so I would direct
00:52you to Spurgey's video here.
00:54He teaches you how to buy a new motorcycle.
00:57Now that video is just one in a mini-series we have helping new riders navigate the process
01:01of obtaining their first motorcycle.
01:03So be sure you subscribe to us so you can catch all of the videos in that series.
01:08Let's get back to the used bike thing though.
01:09You've got some work to do before you ever even leave the house.
01:13Evaluate the seller and evaluate the buyer.
01:16Now when I talk about evaluating the seller, I mean examine the ad of the motorcycle you're
01:19interested in fairly carefully.
01:21We want to see at a minimum clear pictures, cogent text about the bike, a good contact
01:25number or email address for the seller and you also want to see a bike that's within
01:29your economic range.
01:30Regardless of what a bike is actually worth, you don't want to spend your time arguing
01:34price with an unrealistic seller.
01:36It winds up just being a total waste of time for each of you.
01:40Now I also mentioned evaluating the buyer and that means kind of looking inside yourself
01:43and what you expect and what you're going to give up and what you're going to get in
01:46return.
01:47Remember, motorcycles take time, they take money and they also take effort.
01:51So perhaps you're one of those folks who has more time than money.
01:54You can sit there and wait for the perfect cherry motorcycle to come along that you can
01:58scoop up for a great price.
02:00Then again if you tend to have a couple extra bucks burning a hole in your wallet, you may
02:03want to actually kick them in.
02:04Employ them so you get exactly the bike you want that's in great shape.
02:08All you lose is a few dollars in the bargain.
02:10Now of course effort comes into play as well.
02:13You can pick up a bike if you're willing to put some sweat equity into it, especially
02:16if it's something that needs a little bit of TLC mechanically.
02:19You can throw a little bit of labor at it and have yourself a motorcycle that's really
02:22worth riding around on.
02:24Then again if you're all thumbs when it comes to mechanicals, you might want to avoid that
02:27plan.
02:28Now it's time to get in contact with the seller.
02:31In addition to the when and where you're going to be meeting the seller, you also need to
02:34cover some finer points as well.
02:36The first one you want to go over is a professional inspection.
02:39Anybody buying used motorcycles should have a pro check out their bike, regardless of
02:42whether or not it's mandatory in your state or region.
02:46The reason for this is a professional mechanic is likely to find some safety issues that
02:49you may miss during your own cursory inspection of the motorcycle.
02:53The next thing you want to go through with the seller too is requesting that they leave
02:56the bike cold.
02:58The reason is that a bike that starts easily and runs well when it's cold is likely in
03:01a very good state of tune.
03:03Hearing that bike fire up easily when it's cold should be excellent reassurance that
03:07the bike's probably in very good shape.
03:09If you ask a seller to leave a bike cold and you get there and you touch the motor and
03:13the bike has been warmed up, you might want to proceed with caution.
03:16That could indicate a seller is trying to hide something from you.
03:19The final thing, and arguably the most important, is to make sure the bike has a title.
03:23You don't want to buy a stolen bike.
03:25That's a big problem for everybody, but most especially you.
03:28Now we found a great specimen.
03:30Let's go take a ride and check this bike out.
03:32Yep, I drove my truck because we might be buying a new motorcycle and you can't load
03:37a new motorcycle into the bed of another motorcycle.
03:40Now if you look around, we're here in suburbia because most used bike inspections are going
03:43to take place somewhere like a driveway.
03:45Now I'm not buying a motorcycle.
03:46I have plenty of motorcycles.
03:48However, my colleague Chris has been looking for his first bike and he's been getting lots
03:51and lots of advice from Spurge and I.
03:53Chris, it's time to get in the game.
03:55Hey Pat.
03:56Hey Chris.
03:57How's it going?
03:58Pretty good.
03:59Bike looks really good.
04:00Yeah, it'll be a shame to see her go.
04:01Is that the title?
04:02You mind if I take a look?
04:03Absolutely.
04:04Should be up to snuff.
04:05Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
04:06This is actually a really important part of the process.
04:09Note that Chris isn't just verifying the title exists, but instead he's actually going to
04:12check to make sure that the numbers on the title exactly match the numbers on the headstock
04:15of the motorcycle.
04:16I don't really care if the seller is the Pope.
04:19The Pope better have clean paper.
04:21When you consider how easy it is to come by beginner motorcycles, it doesn't make sense
04:24to saddle yourself with somebody else's titling error.
04:27Let's return to this high stakes drama.
04:29Looks like everything checks out.
04:31Let me take in this bike.
04:32Yeah, knock yourself out.
04:33Can you fire it up for me?
04:34Absolutely.
04:35You might want to cover your ears.
04:36She's a loud one.
04:38Hey, hey, hey, hey.
04:39Get out of here.
04:40Get out of here.
04:41Get out of here.
04:42Turn this noise maker off.
04:43I got a little surprise for all you out there in video land.
04:46We mechanical types, we're great with wrenches, but not so much with crystal balls.
04:49We can't really take apart the entire motorcycle to determine how the internals are.
04:53So a lot of times we're using external clues to figure out how the bike may have been taken
04:57care of.
04:58Generally speaking, fluid should be inside the motorcycle.
05:00If you see any type of drips or pooling fluid, that's usually not a very good thing.
05:06You may also see seeps too.
05:07Seeps aren't as aggressive as leaks, but you'll typically see them manifested by oil or grease
05:12kind of mixed in with road dirt.
05:14It turns into a brownish goop.
05:16That's no good.
05:17Now, when you're underneath the motorcycle checking things out, you also want to pay
05:20attention for the exact opposite, a motorcycle that's too clean underneath.
05:23That may be indicative of a seller who's trying to cover something up.
05:26Now, while we're on the topic of fluids, make sure you check out quantity and quality as
05:30well.
05:31Low engine oil, that's a really big problem.
05:34Brake fluid, that may indicate an owner who is stingy on the service dollars.
05:37Proceed with caution.
05:38Now, the next big item you want to cover is crash damage.
05:42There can be telltale signs all over a bike that it's been down before.
05:46There's all sorts of things you can look for.
05:47I'm talking about things like curled brake levers, bent shift levers, different color
05:51parts.
05:52You want to examine the motorcycle for rash on places that you wouldn't expect to see
05:55it, mirrors or perhaps side plastics.
05:57And that shouldn't necessarily preclude you from buying the motorcycle, but still you
06:01should know that if you're uncomfortable assessing crash damage, buying a bike that's
06:04been heavily crashed can be a really expensive proposition.
06:07Now, having said this, you also want to talk to the owner about the crash.
06:11If they're forthright about the fact the bike has been down and they're honest about the
06:14repairs they made or didn't make, that's usually not too big a deal.
06:17However, if they try to cover up the fact the bike has been down before, they may be
06:21being untruthful about other items on the motorcycle.
06:25Once you've got the big stuff vetted out on the bike, it's time to check out some of the
06:28smaller detail items.
06:29Stick your nose into the gas tank, see if it's all rusty in there.
06:32Similarly, you can look at the paint on the motorcycle.
06:35If you see deep, glossy paint that's been well waxed, that's usually a good sign.
06:39You can also check out the seat cover as well.
06:41If that's in good shape, odds are excellent the owner did their best to keep the bike
06:44protected from the elements.
06:46Another item you might want to check out as well is the tires.
06:49Tires can give you a lot of information about the bike.
06:51If you see a matched set on there, odds are pretty good that the seller didn't mind spending
06:54bucks on the motorcycle.
06:56Similarly, also examine the tread life and condition on there.
06:59It turns out the tires cost a couple of bucks.
07:01If you're buying your first bike and you have to immediately slam a set of skins on it,
07:04you may be spending more than you initially planned on.
07:07Generally speaking, if you're paying careful attention to the outside of the bike, you'll
07:10get a good idea for what's going on on the inside.
07:13Well, the bike sounds and looks great.
07:17When was the last time you had it serviced?
07:19Quite recently.
07:20I actually keep all the receipts in this folder and there's a shop manual to whoever buys the
07:23bike.
07:24Oh, excellent.
07:25Why are you selling the bike?
07:26I recently bought a new one.
07:27Congratulations.
07:28When was the last time you took this one out?
07:29I actually rode it into work last week.
07:32Hey, sorry about that.
07:34So it might seem like Chris is just being chatty Cathy right now, really pestering Pat
07:38about his bike.
07:39What he's actually doing is politely interrogating him.
07:41He's trying to find out a little bit more about the bike by keeping Pat talking about
07:44it.
07:45You should be doing the same thing.
07:46Ask the seller why they're getting rid of the bike or why they bought it in the first
07:49place and maybe talk to him too about some of the trips they took, long or particularly
07:52memorable rides.
07:54Anything to get them going about the motorcycle so you can tease a little bit of information
07:57out about the motorcycle.
07:59You can also use nonverbal clues too.
08:01Does the place look like a motorcycle junkyard?
08:03That's probably not a good thing.
08:04If you remember, Pat mentioned that he had picked up a new motorcycle.
08:06It would seem reasonable then that he'd probably be selling a learner bike thereafter.
08:11Now this is also a great time where you should probably be asking about service records,
08:15service manuals, or my favorite OEM or aftermarket parts.
08:18Remember Pat's not going to need them anymore and he's probably willing to let them go for
08:22a song.
08:23Now, in a bit of terrible foreshadowing, I bet we have a test ride coming.
08:26Hey, I really like this bike.
08:29You mind if I take it for a spin?
08:31I don't know.
08:32What if you drop it or what if you run off?
08:33I'd rather you didn't.
08:34Fair point.
08:35I've got $2,500.
08:36If I wreck it, consider the bike bought.
08:38Seems fair.
08:39Do you have a helmet?
08:40Sure do.
08:41All right, while Chris is pulling that lid onto his melon, let's talk test ride for just
08:48a second.
08:49Now if you have a license and you're comfortable jumping onto somebody else's motorcycle, there's
08:53absolutely no reason you can't do the test ride yourself.
08:55However, if you're uncomfortable, mechanically inept, or perhaps unlicensed, you may want
08:59to strongly consider bringing along a more experienced motorcyclist with you to stand
09:02in your place for the test ride.
09:04Now, one of the other things to talk about too is the fact that as you just saw, some
09:07sellers are a little bit reticent to let their pride and joy go rolling down the road with
09:11a complete stranger on top.
09:13So one good way to encourage a seller to give you a test ride is to negotiate the price
09:17of the motorcycle and then put the cash into their hand.
09:21Then you can take your test ride and, you know, it can be contingent upon the test ride
09:24as to whether or not you're going to buy the motorcycle.
09:26Of course, tradition dictates that if you put the bike down, you're buying the bike
09:29whether you like it or not.
09:30At this point, it's time for a safety check.
09:33Now this isn't going to be the same type of check you've been doing to make sure the bike
09:35is in mechanically good shape.
09:37What you're doing instead now is making sure the bike's actually safe to ride.
09:39So some of these things you may have actually covered.
09:42Now in your MSF class, you may have heard something like the acronym T-CLOX.
09:46This stands for Tires, Controls, Lighting, Oil, Chassis, and Stands.
09:51These are the basic things that you want to check before you get onto a strange bike.
09:55You should make a habit of doing this too because this isn't just when you're buying
09:57a bike, this is really when you jump on any unfamiliar motorcycle.
10:01And I probably shouldn't have to say it, but I will anyway, you want to pay as little as
10:05you can for your motorcycle.
10:07You're likely to want to upgrade your bike or perhaps replace something after you drop
10:10it once or twice, and having a couple bucks in the bank can make that an easy process.
10:17I love it.
10:17Let's do some paperwork.
10:18Great.
10:19Pleasure doing business with you.
10:20I'm going to grab some tie-downs.
10:22And once the deal is done, you want to cross some T's and dot some I's, and that begins
10:26with making sure you get the paperwork knocked out.
10:28In just about all cases, the seller is going to need to sign the title over.
10:32And in many places, you're going to need a bill of sale as well.
10:35Now there are some states that require some other stuff too, like a notary's signature
10:39perhaps.
10:40You want to familiarize yourself with your state's requirements before you ever head
10:43out to check out a used motorcycle.
10:45Now the final piece of the puzzle here is going to be getting this motorcycle home.
10:50Now in a lot of places, it's not legal to just jump on a bike you just purchased, and
10:53even if it is legal, you might not want to do it, especially if you're unlicensed.
10:57You may want to enlist the help of a friend who happens to have a truck.
11:00Alternatively too, you can also see if the seller is willing to work with you and house
11:03the motorcycle for a while until both you and the bike are legal.
11:07Don't forget too, again, to leave some money in reserve for what I would call unforeseen
11:11expenses.
11:12A lot of people forget that motorcycles typically have sales tax when they're transferred, even
11:16when they're used.
11:17And again, you may wind up needing parts or fluid changes, and don't forget about that
11:20all-important professional mechanics inspection.
11:23Just in case it wasn't obvious from the absolutely awful acting, that transaction was staged.
11:27Be assured though that the real deal will look very, very similar.
11:30Now if you're wanting a little bit more education, head on over to Common Tread.
11:33We've got a couple articles that should be pretty helpful, including some tips on haggling,
11:37as well as an article on how to make sure the bike you're buying isn't stolen.
11:41Now don't forget too, this video is just one in a mini-series talking about how to buy
11:45your first motorcycle.
11:46So check out those other videos and subscribe to us at RevZilla.com so you can catch all
11:49our content as we're rolling it out.
11:51I'm Lemmy, and I'm out of here.